Door-check.



Patented Jan.5, 1909.

M. J. FLYNN.

DOOR GHBCK.` APPLIOATION FILED FEB. s, 190s.

nu: Nomals PETERS c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

MICHAEL I. FLYNN, OF NEW YORK, NZY., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD W.MCCARTY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DOOR-CHECK.

Specification ofnLetters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. FLYNN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the borough of the Bronx and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDoor-Checks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to a construction of door check of that typeadapted to be embedded in the door frame between or in proximity to thehinges, and having a flexible spring-impelled connection with the doorto normally close the same.

An apparatus of this general type forms the subject of my Letters PatentNo. 831,051, issued September 18, 1906, and also my pending application,Serial No. 266,7 37.

The present invention includes a number of matters of improvement in thefeatures of the above construction; and also some additional featureswhich I consider as entirely novel.

The objects of the present invention are to generally simplify,strengthen, improve and cheapen the construction, so that it acts morepositivel and more reliably, than the door checks hitherto constructed.

I also provide for checking the return movement of the door in a verygradual manner throughout substantially its entire range of closingmovement, the checking resistance being, however, removed just as thedoor is about to latch, so that the full effective pressure of theclosing spring is available to accomplish the latching movement.

I also provide a form 0f valve construction designed to be particularlyeflicient in its o ening and closing action, so that the full c eckingforce is always available when the door is being closed, but is entirelyremoved when the door is being opened.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a quick, accurateand very accessible adjustment for varying the degree of the checkingaction when the door is being closed, so that it may close slowly orrapidly as desired.

With these and other obj ects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction and combination, as hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a complete door checkembodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail sectionalview of the same on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view of the adjusting valve mechanism; and Fig. 4 isa detail side view partly in section of a modied form of adjusting valvemechanism.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by the samereference sign, 1 indicates a cylinder or casing adapted to be insertedinthe door frame between or adjacent to the hin es in a manner which iswell understood in t 's class of devices. The pivotal axis 2 of the doorhinges normally falls at a point on one side of and in transversealinement with the open end of the cyl inder or casing 1, under thesecircumstances.

3 designates an 'anchorage block, which is adapted to be screwed orreceived into the door at a point where it will move toward and from theopen end of the cylinder 1 when said door swings on its hinges.

In the open end of the cylinder 1 there is inserted and fixed a block 4,with ears 5, having holes through which screws may be inserted as afastening means. The block 4 has openings 6 and 7, extendingtherethrough, of which 6 loosely receives a resilient member 5,preferably a steel wire cable.

9 desi nates a roller rotatably mounted in the bloc 4, and adapted to suport the resilient member 8 on the side t ereof corresponding `to thepivot line 2 of the door hinges. At its outer end the resilient member 8has a ball 10, received in a socket 11, so as to establish a universaloint connection therewith. The socket 11 may be clamped in the member 3by a set screw 12. At its other end the resilient member 8 is fixed tothe spring abutment 13, which moves loosely through the cylinder 1.

14 desi nates the return spring included between t e block 4 and theabutment 13, so as to normally impel the resilient member 8 into thecasing 1.

16 designates the piston made with an airtight fit in the cylinder 1. Apreferred construction is that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and having twodisks 17 and 18, connected by screws 19, and inclosing between them aleather cup 20. The disk 18 has a circumferential groove in which isreceived an expansion ring 21. The expansion ring 21 eeps the packingcup 20 pressed outward against the walls of the cylinder 1. A hole 22extends completely through the piston and terminates on the outer faceof disk 17 in a slightly raised rim or bead 23.

5 24 designates a soft packing disk fastened to the spring abutment 13in any suitable way, as by central screw or rivet 25@ The piston 16 hasa limited axial movement to-` ward and from the spring abutment 13 whichpermits the packing disk 24'to engage and disengage from the bead 23,thereby constituting a valve. A convenient means for securing thisrelation comprises a pair of screws or studs 28,A projecting from thedisk 17, and loosely received in openings 29 of spring abutment 13. Theheads 30 of these screws limit the movement of separation of the pistonfrom the spring abutment 13 to a very slight distance.

20 At its inner end the bore of the cylinder 1 is enlarged or expandedat 37, so that the piston does not make a tight iit at such innerportion of the bore. Throughout the remainder of the length ofthecylinder 1, however, the piston makes a perfectly air-tight fit. Whenthe resilient member 8 is being drawn outward, its attractive forceseparates the abutment 13 from the piston 16, so that the central valveopening 22 in the piston is uncovered owing to the frictional resistanceofthe piston and the free movement of the abutment 13 within thecylinder and on the screws 29 connecting the abutment and the piston. Onthe other hand, when 3 5 the door is closing, and the resilient member 8is rentering the cylinder, the valve opening 22 is closed by thereaction of the spring 14 on the abutment and the frictional resist-4ance of the piston. The force of the spring is sufcient to not onlyinsure the closure of the valve, but also to move the piston in thecylinder against the air coniined therein, and thus act as a door check.

I provide means for permitting the gradual escape of the air or iiuidbeneath the piston as follows: 34 designates a tube fixed in the piston16 and loosely movable through the spring abutment 13. This tube extendsoutward through the entire len th of the piston and through the hole 7of t e block 4. At its outer end there is provided a screw 35, having anotch 36, on one side through which air may escape. This screw is alwaysaccessible when the apparatus is in operation, and

when tightened or loosened permits a more or less gradual escape of theair from behind the piston in the checking action.

In Fig. 4 a slightly modiiied form of air escape mechanism is shownincluding a rod 38 in place kof the tube 34. This rod projects throughthe opening 7 of the block 4 in the same way as tube 34, but is threadedinto the piston instead of being fLxedly secured therein, as in the caseof the tube 34. 39

designates a duct extending outward from the inner end of the rod andhaving an outlet branch 40 at a point outside the cylinder. This rod maybe turned from its outer end by means of a slot 41, adapted to beengaged by a screw driver. When the rod 38 is 70 turned, it is screwedinward or outward through the piston, so that the transverse duct 40 ismore or less uncovered, thereby adjusting the escape of the air in thechecking action. 4 75 -n operation the cylinder or casing 1 is insertedin the door frame as above described, and the anchorage member 3 iscorrespondingly secured in the rear of the door. The socket piece 11 isthen inserted in the an- 80 chorage member in whatever angular relationit may happen to be, and the set screw 12 is tightened to complete-theattachment. The door opens freely since the hole 22 (open at this time)is too large to aord any resistance to the passage of air therethrough.Vhen the door closes under the impulse of spring 14, the opening 22 isclosed, but a gradual escape of air from behind the iston can take placethrough the tube 34 an past 90 the adjustable screw 35. If the checkingaction is too fast or too slow, it can always be regulated by a slightturn of the always accessible screw 35. At the nal movement, when thedoor closes, the piston enters the enlarged part 37 of the cylinder, andmoves without resistance so that the door latches with the fulleiiective pressure of its impelling spring.

What I claim, is

1. In a door check, a cylinder adapted to be seated in the door frame, aresilient member movable into said cylinder, said member being laterallyflexible throughout its length within the cylinder an abutment anchoredto said member, a spring to impel said piston inward, an abutment guidedto have a limited axial movement with respect to said piston, a valveclosure carried by said abutment to close an opening in said piston byits appreach thereto, and a separate channel 1n said piston for theescape of the air when the door is being closed.

2. In a door check, a cylinder adapted to be seated in the door frame, aresilient member movable into said cylinder, said member being laterallyflexible throughout its length within the cylinder a piston operativelyattached to said resilient member, a valve on said iston closing whenthe piston moves inwar y, and a supplemental channel for ermitting theescape of air when the oor closes.

3. In a door check, a cylinder adapted to be seated in the door frame, ablock secured in the open end ofthe cylinder, a piston movable in saidcylinder, a resilient member operatively attached to said piston,venting means attached to said piston and projecting through said block,and adjustable meansto regulate the flow of air through said outer endof said means to regulate the flow 1G means. of air therethrough.

4. In a door check, a. cylinder adapted to In Witness whereof, Isubscribe my signebe leated in tle fdclor frlarra, a block seated ture,in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 int eo en en o t eey in er, apiston movable in Isaid cylinder, a.resilient member op- MICHAEL J' FLYNN' eratively attached to saidpiston, venting Witnesses: means attached to said piston and project-FRANK S. OBER, ing through said block, and a. screw at the ALFRED W.PRooToR.

